Mullered!

After last year's trip to the outer isles that finished by crossing Ardnamurchan and Mull we decided to have a week touring round Mull, Iona and head out to the end of the Ardnamurchan peninsular. Rather than B&B it, we decided to camp for the first half of the holiday so packed a Terra Nova Laserlight mountain marathon tent.

Of course since the last few years had been fine weather when we visited, this time the rain started about two minutes after we got off the train at Oban. Due to having to book an earlier train (0615 from Skipton!) because there were no bike places left on the final leg for later trains we were able to get out to the island and camp at Craignure.

The weather was awful and we were soaked by the time we got the tent up. We weren't able to use the astroturf pitches(!) that the site use as the pegs with the Laserlight are, shall we say, light. Think of a five inch nail with all the weight and strength removed and you'll get the idea. Let's just say it wasn't a pleasant night. The following morning was just light drizzle when we set off but after about an hour it was pretty heavy rain. At least the wind was on our backs.

There was another group touring just ahead of us though they had car support so didn't have loaded bikes. Because we were camping we'd gone for panniers - Ortlieb classics to be precise - and they take a bit of getting used to, not so much the extra weight but the general handling of the bike. In my case it was getting on and off the bike that caused most problems, nearly putting my foot through a wheel in one instance. We caught up with the group at a cafe in Penyghael run by a quite eccentric couple. The group were esconsed in the main room so we ended up having our lunch in the kitchen!

The weather was little better when we left and by the time we got to Fionnphort at the end of the road I was ready to find a B&B for the night. A couple of beers sat by the fire in the pub and I felt a bit better so we headed down the road to the campsite at Fidden Farm, reckoned to be one of the best in Scotland.

Here's the route we took.

Cath and our expansive tent at Fidden Farm campsite.

In better weather I can see it being brilliant but even in the conditions we had it was a lot better than Craignure. We both spent a while in the showers getting warmed up!

The following day we had a wander round the Isle of Iona. I'd last been here in 1978 and Cath had never been so it was fresh for both of us. We managed to bike every bit of tarmac on the island plus a few tracks to beaches.

Heading down to a beach past the golf course.

Apart from Tobermory, Iona is probably the most tourist orientated place on Mull and there are lots of coaches heading to and from the ferry terminal at Fionnphort. With a bit of planning you can get away from things though.

Day three was to be our longest day riding (we'd planned on doing about 10 - 15 miles less each day than last year to accommodate the extra load of the camping kit), of course it was raining again but once again the wind had changed direction so was on our backs once more.

Heading back from Fionnphort on the main road.

Once again we stopped at the cafe in Pennyghael, still quite bonkers, but it's a cracking little place. It's also decently priced being nearly a third of the cost of what we'd paid on Iona. After an hour we decided it was time to move on and once again headed out in to the mirk.

After a couple of miles we got to the junction where "The Scenic Road" began. We'd intended to come the other way on this road last year but Cath's knee was playing up so cut the ride short. Now we were heading in to the wind and it was decidedly hard work, fortunately the open section didn't last too long and we were soon on the main climb of the day which was nicely sheltered. This couldn't be said for the descent on the other side where at one point I was in bottom gear pedalling to go downhill!

The southern end of the coastal section is dominated by waterfalls.

The descent was quite tricky as you couldn't let the bike roll freely as the wind was so gusty. Eventually we got to the bottom where one of the most amazing roads in Britain finds its way between shore and cliffs. The most spectacular part comes at the end (when heading north) where there hardly seems room for a road.

Nearing the end of the section below Creag Mhor

We were intending to camp at Killiecronan but it's really exposed to south westerlies and when I pulled on to the site I was pedalling but not moving forward! We made an instant executive decision to bale to Salen on the other side of the island (only about two miles at this point) and find a B&B. In the end we stopped at the Salen Hotel which has seen better days. We did eat very well that night at a mediterranean restaurant. Here's the Strava trace: http://app.strava.com/activities/53290512

Next day was again dank and dull. We'd only to get to Tobermory so rather than take the main road along the coast which is only nine miles or so we headed inland to Dervaig. There's no real difference between the main roads on Mull and the minor ones: they are almost all single track with passing places, it's just that the main roads link larger settlements or the ferries. At Dervaig we decided to visit the heritage museum which was rather sad to be honest, it must be hard in places like this to make a living so they are making an effort. We were the only customers when we visited. Here's the trace: http://app.strava.com/activities/53290494

We'd got two nights booked at the Tobermory youth hostel. This meant that we could head over to Ardnamurchan without the panniers - yippee! Last year we'd got to Kilchoan just as the ferry was coming in to dock so we hadn't gone out to the lighthouse on the western tip (this is actually the westernmost point on the British mainland). Our aim this year was to remedy this and do a bit of exploring. Fortunately we had fine sunny weather (it was the only fine day of the holiday as it turned out), so once we'd got off the ferry it was just a case of following the signs for the lighthouse. A bit of a hilly road so the six miles wasn't completely easy.

Nearing the lighthouse on Ardnamurchan.

After the tour of the lighthouse and a bite to eat at the cafe we headed back to Kilchoan and then took the road to Sanna. This passes through the other claim to faim for Ardnamurchan - the ring complex - a series of collapsed volcanic cones. They aren't too obvious on the ground but aerial and satellite photos - look on Google maps - show them well.

Dropping in to the ring complex from the Sanna end of the road.

The beaches at Sanna are gorgeous, usual temperature warnings apply though. Then it was back to Kilchoan again, just missing the ferry so another cafe visit ensued whilst we waited for the next one. Here's the Strava trace: http://app.strava.com/activities/53290492

Our last day started with a trip round the Tobermory distillery - producers of one of my favourite malts: Ledaig (pronounced something like letchik) - there was a tasting session, only one dram mind. Once again the wind had changed direction, this time it was against us and the ride to Craignure was hard work. In fact Cath got blown off her bike at one point it was that gusty. Fortunately by the time we got to Salen we had a bit more shelter, plus the road was flatter. Once again we just missed the ferry so had to wait two hours for the next one. A night in the youth hostel at Oban followed by an early start saw us home by tea time the following day.

Now we've just got to get everything dry!

Bike Touring in Scotland

In an attempt to get away from the cringeworthy toadiness of the Royal Jubilee we decided to head up to Scotland for a week's bike touring. It seemed like a lot of others had the same idea as we eventually had to head north on the Friday as all the bike slots on the trains were already reserved. It took over an hour to find spare reservation and sort the tickets out! Our itinerary apart from the first full day was on roads or in areas that either we had never been to before or that it was several decades since we'd been.

The one problem with public transport is connections: it's rare that you get to a station with the next train just a platform away and ready to leave in ten minutes. So it was that with an hour waiting at Carlisle and three hours in Glasgow (though with a change from Central to Queen St stations), getting to Oban took over nine hours. The plus points? Riding along two of the best railway journeys in the world: Settle-Carlisle and the West Highland Line.

A bigger delay was at Oban with the ferry only leaving at 1530 on the Saturday so a lot of time to fill. We did a bit of biking up and down the coast getting used to the loaded bikes but in the end still had a couple of hours hanging around at the ferry terminal before we could embark. Again we weren't the only ones - there were nearly 40 bikes on the ferry - we just hoped that they weren't all on the same itinerary as ourselves. Once on Barra it was clear that there was a pretty keen northerly wind, not good for heading north and it was quite hard work getting to our B&B on the other side of the island.

Looking back to Barra from Eriskay

Sunday morning was our only real rush - we needed to get the 0900 ferry to Eriskay as the next one wasn't until 1130 and would mean that heading up the Uists would be unneccessarily pressured. Long summer days and accommodating hosts meant that we got there with half an hour to spare so we could relax somewhat. There were just seven other cyclists on this crossing. Sunday on the Western Isles is, err, interesting. Pretty well everything is shut and the further north you go the more likely this is to be the case. Our big problem though was the wind, not as strong as yesterday but still northerly and with no shelter to speak of. A cafe after fifteen miles provided shelter but the cafe at a museum on Benbecula was shut (as in shut shut - letters from the council stacked up outside) so it wasn't until Kirkibost that we got another break. It was then just another ten miles or so in to the wind to the B&B. We did have a break at a beach we'd camped at the last time we were here but it wasn't sunbathing weather.

Monday was another push to get the ferry crossing (had to get this one as spring tides meant that the midday crossing wasn't running) but with an hour and a half to do ten miles it wasn't really a problem but we did have a ferry to catch at 1600 from Tarbert. Crossing the Sound of Harris is tricky, the ferry makes 22 course corrections in the 9 miles (according to a crew hand) to avoid submerged reefs. Once at Leverburgh, the other cyclists (same group as on the Eriskay ferry) went looking for "The Cafe from Heaven" (?!) whilst we turned right and headed for "The Golden Road". This is a small road that links the communities on the east coast of South Harris and let's just say it's lumpy! No big hills but lots of small ones that are occasionally steep. We had our only rain showers of the trip whilst riding along here, one wasn't heavy enough to stop to put on waterproofs. After tea and cake at a wonderfully eccentric community run cafe in Liceasto we arrived in Tarbert and promptly found another cafe - never under any circumstances pass up the opportunity to eat cake! We were stopping in Portree so had to do the big climb out of Uig followed by a long fast descent or two in to the town. Portree has changed massively since I was last there, generally for the better, perhaps best described as being more cosmopolitan. 

Heading towards the Cuillin on Skye

We were undecided as to which way to go on Skye, we had to get to Armadale for the ferry back to the mainland, but eventually settled on crossing back to the west coast before rejoining the main drag at Sligachan. Definitely an interesting road and far from quiet at nine in the morning. It was also rather steep in places which was a bit of a shock. Whilst on the main road on the west coast we saw something I'd never seen or even heard of before: a finch or similar sized bird mobbing a cuckoo. A bit of research showed that it is known behaviour. After something to eat at the Sligachan we headed on southwards but took a side road that had been recommended to us by the hostel owner to avoid the big hill on the main drag. I don't think I've ever been on a road with as many pot holes! Dinner at Broadford then it was down the new road to Armadale getting there just in time for the ferry to arrive. We were stopping at the Backpacker's Hostel in Mallaig so didn't have far to go at the other end. Well recommended with excellent food in the restaurant downstairs.

The first part of Wednesday's ride I'd visited 34 years ago but there have been significant road improvements since then and I can't remember anything about the old road anyway. We decided just to head out on the new road and get it out of the way before we cut right and headed down to the Ardnamurchan Peninsular, the most westerly point of the British mainland. There were a couple of signs about the road being shut at certain times of the day - sure enough we got there when it was shut - new road being built. After half an hour we were on our way again and once over the hill and having avoided the fire engines heading to a heath fire we stopped for lunch. A short hill dropped us down to Salen and then it was along the coast. On the map this looks fine, on the ground it was lots and lots of short steep ups and downs with little opportunity to keep a pace going due to blind bends and recent laying of chippings. In fact it was easier once we turned away from the coast and tackled the big climb to get round to Kilchoan. We arrived just as the ferry was pulling in - good timing. Our night's stop at the youth hostel was just yards away from the terminal in Tobermory.

One disadvantage of spending the night by the sea on a hilly island is that you have to go uphill and Thursday started with a vengeance straight up from the harbour. Eventually it eased off and we went up and down hills and in and out of coves on the way to Calgary with some very nice road conditions and almost alpine like passes. The tea room at Calgary hadn't opened yet so we pressed on - mistakenly as it turned out as there wasn't anywhere to grab a bite for a long way. At the high point of the road we passed a radio mast in place for the Mull sportive a few days later then it was more undulations, declining the ferry to get to a pub. Cath was getting hungry and wasn't too keen on doing the next loop so we cut across the road at the neck of the island to Salen (another one) for tea and cakes. Then it was a case of heading straight for Craignure on the main road, which was pretty quiet really. We had the benefit of chasing down another group of cyclists before we got to the pub where we were stopping. A pint and an ice cream later it began to rain - the first real rain of our holiday, if we'd gone the long loop we'd have got wet - so we headed indoors. In the restaurant that night the waitress picked up my empty plate and remarked that very few managed to finish the fish stew as there was so much of it. I must have been hungry, besides I know how to eat!

Friday was basically, get to the ferry (oh, 500 metres); ferry to Oban, walk over to train station and get the train south. As we headed down the Settle-Carlisle (or should that be the Carlisle-Settle) it was apparent that there had been a large amount of rainfall with the becks foaming brown. All in all we did around 320 miles of biking. The only bits of kit that I took that I didn't use were my overboots and the midge head mask (really glad about that one!), even the waterproof didn't get a lot of use which shows just how dry the weather was.